ENERGY: Authorizes the governing authority of Grant Parish to determine whether carbon dioxide sequestration and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide may be permitted within the parish

HLS 26RS-338 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 495
BY REPRESENTATIVE FIRMENT
ENERGY: Authorizes the governing authority of Grant Parish to determine whether carbon
dioxide sequestration and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide may be permitted
within the parish
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 30:4(C)(17)(c), 1104(F), and 1104.3, relative to carbon dioxide transport and
3 sequestration in Grant Parish; to authorize the governing authority of Grant Parish
4 to determine whether Class VI injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration, and
5 pipelines transporting carbon dioxide may be permitted within the parish; to provide
6 for the authority of the secretary of the Department of Conservation and Energy; to
7 provide for notice to the department; to provide for legislative intent; to provide for
8 severability; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
9 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
10 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
11 Louisiana.
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. It is the intent of this legislature to allow the Grant Parish Police Jury to
14 prohibit the permitting of carbon dioxide injection wells, the geologic sequestration of
15 carbon dioxide, and the transportation of carbon dioxide by pipeline within Grant Parish.
16 The Grant Parish Police Jury adopted a resolution on December 11, 2025, opposing carbon
17 dioxide sequestration projects and associated carbon dioxide pipeline infrastructure within
18 Grant Parish and urging state and federal agencies to give full and careful consideration to
19 the concerns of the local government and citizens.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-338 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 495
1 Section 2. R.S. 30:4(C)(17)(c), 1104(F), and 1104.3 are hereby enacted to read as
2 follows:
3 §4. Jurisdiction, duties, and powers of the secretary; rules and regulations
4 * * *
5 C. The secretary has authority to make, after notice and hearings as provided
6 in this Chapter, any reasonable rules, regulations, and orders that are necessary from
7 time to time in the proper administration and enforcement of this Chapter, including
8 rules, regulations, or orders for the following purposes:
9 * * *
10 (17)
11 * * *
12 (c) The secretary's authority pursuant to this Paragraph shall be subject to the
13 local option procedures set forth in Chapter 11 of this Subtitle.
14 * * *
15 §1104. Duties and powers of the secretary; rules and regulations; permits
16 * * *
17 F.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the secretary
18 shall not issue any order, permit, or certificate authorizing Class VI injection wells,
19 carbon dioxide sequestration, or the transportation of carbon dioxide through
20 pipelines in any parish where prohibited pursuant to the local option procedure set
21 forth in this Chapter.
22 (2) The prohibition in this Subsection shall prevent the final issuance of any
23 order, permit, or certificate, regardless of whether an application for the same was
24 previously submitted to the department.
25 * * *
26 §1104.3. Local option; Grant Parish
27 A. In the exercise of the parish's police power to protect public health, safety,
28 and welfare and authority to regulate land use within its borders, the governing
29 authority of Grant Parish may, by resolution or ordinance, determine whether Class
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-338 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 495
1 VI injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration, and pipelines transporting carbon
2 dioxide may be located within the parish.
3 B. A copy of any resolution or ordinance passed for this purpose shall be
4 provided to the department by the governing authority of Grant Parish.
5 C. Any prohibition adopted pursuant to this Section shall become effective
6 upon adoption of the resolution or ordinance by the governing authority of Grant
7 Parish.
8 D. Any local determination made pursuant to this Section shall supersede
9 and preempt any conflicting state or local law, regulation, order, permit, or
10 certificate. No application, option agreement, site control agreement, or preliminary
11 or draft approval shall confer vested rights or grandfathered authority inconsistent
12 with a parish prohibition adopted pursuant to this Section.
13 Section 3. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof is held invalid, such
14 invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Act which can be given
15 effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this
16 Act are hereby declared severable.
17 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
18 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
19 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
20 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
21 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 495 Original 2026 Regular Session Firment
Abstract: Authorizes the Grant Parish governing authority to determine whether Class VI
carbon dioxide injection wells, the geologic storage of carbon dioxide, and pipelines
used to transport carbon dioxide may be located within the parish.
Present law authorizes the Dept. of Conservation and Energy to permit and regulate Class
VI carbon dioxide injection wells, pipelines for the transportation of carbon dioxide for
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-338 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 495
geologic storage, and pipelines for the transportation of carbon dioxide for enhanced oil
recovery within the state.
Proposed law creates an exception to the dept.'s authority where Class VI wells, the geologic
storage of carbon dioxide, or carbon dioxide pipelines have been prohibited by the local
option procedure provided in proposed law.
Proposed law authorizes the Grant Parish governing authority to determine whether Class
VI wells, geologic storage of carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide pipelines may be located
within the parish by passing an ordinance or resolution.
Proposed law requires the parish governing authority to notify the dept. of any resolution or
ordinance passed for the purpose of prohibiting or allowing Class VI injection wells, the
geologic storage of carbon dioxide, or carbon dioxide pipelines within the parish.
Proposed law provides that any prohibition by the Grant Parish governing authority is
effective upon its adoption.
Proposed law provides that any determination made by the governing authority of Grant
Parish will supersede any conflicting laws, regulations, and dept. actions.
Provides for severability that allows remaining provisions to continue to be effective even
if other provisions are determined to be invalid.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 30:4(C)(17)(c), 1104(F), and 1104.3)
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.